One of the most iconic album covers for one of the bestselling albums of all time might be getting a makeover. Former Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl recently spoke to The Times about the 30th anniversary of their 1991 Nevermind album, and the lawsuit filed earlier this year from the child who was photographed for the cover, Spencer Elden. He also hinted that we might be getting some new cover art.
Elden has famously appeared on the cover Nevermind for thirty years now as the nude infant swimming in a pool with a dollar bill dangling in front of him. In August, the now-adult Elden filed a lawsuit against all the surviving members of Nirvana, Courtney Love, various record labels, and the executor and managers of Kurt Cobain’s estate, seeking damages for what he calls “child porn” and “child sexual exploitation.”
In addition to financial damages, Elden is also demanding his genitalia be censored in all future reissues, including the forthcoming 30th anniversary deluxe album.
Following the suit, it appears new cover art for Nevermind—which features hits such as “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come As You Are”—might be on the way. And apparently, Grohl already has a hefty list of possible changes to the album artwork.
“I have many ideas of how we should alter that cover but we’ll see what happens,” Grohl told The Times. “We’ll let you know. I’m sure we’ll come up with something good.”
When it comes to Elden’s issues with the cover, Grohl would rather not get caught up in the drama, or the paperwork. “I think that there’s much more to look forward to and much more to life than getting bogged down in those kinds of things,” he continued. “And, fortunately, I don’t have to do the paperwork.”
The deluxe 30th anniversary reissue of Nevermind is set to be released on November 12.